UP NEXT TO PLATE
The Kennesaw State baseball team (16-8, 4-2) travels to Florence, Ala. to take on North Alabama (4-22, 3-6) for a conference series this weekend. These are the first games in nearly two weeks for the Owls, after a weekend series against Liberty and a midweek Auburn showdown were canceled due to positive COVID-19 tests. This will be the first series between Kennesaw State and North Alabama since 2019, when the Owls swept the Lions in March.

Opponent: North Alabama
Location: Florence, Ala. | Mike D. Lane Field
GAME ONE
Date: Friday, April 9
Time: 2:00 p.m. EST
Starting Pitching
KSU: RHP Luke Torbert (3-1, 4.83 ERA)
UNA: RHP Hunter Davidson (1-3, 3.44 ERA)
Live Stats | Watch

GAME TWO
Date: Saturday, April 10
Time: 3:00 p.m. EST
Starting Pitching
KSU: LHP Ryan Kennedy (2-0, 6.45 ERA)
UNA: LHP Chase Best (1-3, 3.44 ERA)
Live Stats | Watch

GAME THREE
Date: Sunday, April 11
Time: 2:00 p.m. EST
Starting Pitching
KSU: RHP Andrew Grogan (3-0, 7.90 ERA)
UNA: RHP Kyle Moore (0-4, 5.60 ERA)
Live Stats | Watch

LAST TIME OUT
The Kennesaw State Owls are coming off a four-game sweep of in-state foes Georgia State, extending a winning streak to five games. The KSU offense could not be thwarted, outscoring GSU 33-10 over the four games; the bats were on fire, hitting a season-best 19 hits in Sunday's 16-4 win. The Owls' pitching staff was on peak form as well, pitching a 2.50 ERA over the weekend. 

CLUTCH CARBALLO
Center fielder Alex Carballo had a week to remember, contributing heavily to his team's five wins while picking up his second ASUN Player of the Week award in the month of March. The senior went nine-for-19 for a .474 batting average, slamming three home runs and 10 RBIs over the Owls' five-game winning streak. 

Carballo is currently on a seven-game hitting streak, hitting extra-base hits in five of those games. The KSU star has established himself as one of the ASUN Conference's elite, placing high among the league's leaders in multiple statistical categories. The Floridian ranks second in batting average with a .364, tying for fourth in RBIs with 23, second in on-base percentage with .468 and second in slugging percentage with .568. Carballo has also walked 19 times, figuring him in as one of the most walked sluggers in the league. 

RINE AND SHINE
Jared Rine is standing tall in the 2021 season, and his six-foot-four frame isn't the only reason why. The rightie from Powder Springs, Ga. has become one of Coach Mike Sansing's most reliable options out of the bullpen and it's easy to see why. 

Rine has made more appearances than any other member of the KSU pitching staff, pitching 25.2 innings over 10 appearances. In his time on the mound, has won two games while only allowing a total of six earned runs. 

With an ERA of 2.10, the only pitcher in the ASUN Conference with a lower earned-run average is Kennesaw State ace Jake Rice. 

SPEEDY SHERRILL
Despite the team missing out on a weekend series, the Owls' second baseman is still acknowledged as the quickest baserunner in the league. Jesse Sherrill leads the ASUN with nine stolen bases, two more than any other player in the conference. 

Sherrill is making huge contributions to all aspects of Kennesaw State's game, hitting over .300 and turning an ASUN-best 18 double plays. 

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